Holly Noise! Eastlands parents want ‘noisy’ churches regulated

A number of residents of Nairobi’s Eastland area want churches holed up in populated residential areas regulated.

According to the residents, the churches have become a nuisance, with most of them playing loud music deep into the night.

Residents claim that the county government and the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) officials seem to have turned a blind eye on their incessant complains – as no one wants to appear to be ‘fight God’s holy establishments’.

Anne Aketch, a resident of Kayole estate in Embakasi, and who has young children, told Wananchi Reporting that her children’s sleep is often interrupted by the noise coming from the more than a dozen churches.

“I am a mother of two children, and as you know, sleep is an important part of a child’s development. Our children don’t sleep because of the noise,” she said – adding that some of the congregants hold loud kesha activities from Monday to Friday.

Other residents who have to wake up early to go to work have also had their sleep affected – as they never have time and peace to sleep.

Residents want the churches, which are in populated residential places, banned from using loudspeakers especially at night.

“The people you are preaching to are already in the building listening to your preaching, why then do you use loudspeakers at night?” wondered James Wandago from Embakasi.

“It is okay to worship, but at least let us have order, and peace as we worship,” added Wandago.

The residents want NEMA and the Nairobi county government to carry out noise surveillance and determine noise levels coming from churches in Eastlands especially at night, and during praise and worship, then proceed to regulate those found to be 'making noise'.